


Born to Love You

by Katybug1992



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: M/M, little dialogue lots of fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-02
Updated: 2020-07-02
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:28:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25040890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katybug1992/pseuds/Katybug1992
Summary: Matthew and Robby were born for each other. That's all there was to it.
Relationships: Robert Thomas/Matthew Tkachuk
Comments: 3
Kudos: 20





	Born to Love You

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by "Born to Love You" by LANco.
> 
> Especially this line:
> 
> Looking in your eyes, yeah it's all so clear  
> Every time you smile, I know why I'm here  
> Wherever I go and whatever I do  
> I was born to love you, I was born to love you

Robby was born and raised in Aurora. It wasn’t exactly a small town, but sometimes it felt like it. Or maybe it was just because he was one of the kids everyone knew was going to make it to the League. And his life revolved around hockey. When he wasn’t playing, he was practicing. When he wasn’t practicing, he was training. His mom was the only reason he focused even a little bit of attention on school. She had told him that he would be going to college if London didn’t draft him and he needed to make sure he had the grades for that.

The only life he had outside of the rink was also forced on him by his mom. Every Sunday morning he didn’t have hockey, he was in a pew with his family, three rows back from the front of the church. When it didn’t interfere with hockey, he was at Youth Group. And it wasn’t bad, it was nice to have some friends outside of hockey. It was nice that no one there asked him about hockey. Because sometimes he didn’t want to think about it. Because sometimes it got a little heavy, carrying around everyone’s expectations on his shoulders. After all, it was London or a Division 1 school - he would have enough pressure in the coming years that being able to have that hour where he only had to be himself was welcome.

And then he was drafted by London. And he met Matthew.

Chucky - Matthew - was like no one Robby had ever met. He shone bright, like the sun on a cloudless day, and just being in his presence made Robby happy. Before Matthew, everyone called him Bobby or Bob. But Matthew….Matthew called him Robby. And only Matthew called him Robby. In fact, Matthew didn’t really let anyone else call him Robby.

Then they spent their first Summer together - before the Tkachuks bought the house down the street from Robby’s parents’ place. Matthew was rehabbing an injury and then joined Robby in training. They were inseparable. And Robby knew. He KNEW that Matthew was going to be one of those people in his life who stayed. Who never expected more of him than him being happy and who never expected him to be any different than who he already was. And Robby didn’t have many people like that in his life...ever.

Then, one night, they were making dinner - Robby was making dinner, Matthew was attempting to distract him (Robby didn’t know why. If he didn’t make dinner, they wouldn’t be getting dinner. His dad was at the restaurant and his mom was out with her friends) - and it happened. Matthew stopped talking about the latest Keith Tkachuk Embarrassing Dad Moment his sister had relayed to him. When Robby looked over at him, he had this look on his face that Robby couldn’t describe. And then Matthew kissed him. And Robby forgot all about prepping dinner to let himself be kissed and pushed against the counter.

“I’ve wanted to do that for a long time,” Matthew whispered, resting forehead against Robby’s.

“I’ve wanted you to do that for a long time,” Robby replied, eyes slipping closed as he just breathed in Matthew.

“Why don’t we skip dinner?” Matthew smirked.

Robby almost agreed, but them Matthew’s stomach argued loudly and Robby laughed and pushed him back a little, reaching for the bread and putting the box of pasta back.

“How about we make some sandwiches?”

“Then can we go makeout in your room?”

“Obviously.”

Matthew laughed, grabbing the peanut butter and stealing one more kiss.

And Robby loved his ridiculous boyfriend. Matthew was probably one of his favorite people in the world. Even a couple years later, when the newness of everything wore off. Even when they didn’t get to see each other as much because they were both making names for themselves. Robby was living with his family and finding his place playing for Matthew’s hometown team - the team Matthew still loved because you could take the boy out of St. Louis, but you couldn’t take the St. Louis out of the boy. Also, Pear, Petro, and Steener had many stories about young Matthew that they eagerly shared with Robby.

And whenever Robby missed him, and he missed him a lot, all he needed was to hear Matthew’s voice and he felt centered again. And he felt a little ridiculous. That this stupid man - because Matthew was many things, and reckless was definitely high on the list - was someone Robby needed in his life to be happy. To feel content. But one look at Matthew’s smile, one laugh from him, and Robby fell for him all over again. He didn’t even think twice. He was born to love Matthew Tkachuk. It was that simple.

Matthew was born in Arizona, but he was truly raised in St. Louis. He was raised in Savvis/Scottrade/Enterprise Center. He knew every nook and kranny of that building. Saint Louis would always be home no matter where he lived. He was definitely not the easy child for his parents - a wild child from birth. And he gave his dad many heart attacks hiding from him around the rink.

He didn’t really know what to expect when he got to London but it certainly wasn’t Robby Thomas. And he was the only one allowed to call Robby that because he liked the way Robby’s cheeks reddened just a little the first time it happened and Matthew didn’t want to see anyone else get that kind of reaction. 

Mitch and Dvo called him on right away - thankfully in the privacy of a hotel room, which was way more discretion than he thought Marns was capable of - and he ignored them before leaving to track Robby down. It wasn’t that they were wrong… it was just that they were very, very right and Matthew didn’t know what he was going to do about it yet. But he DID know that the feeling he got when he made Robby smile was the best feeling in the world - better than scoring the game winning goal. And that….that was something he wasn’t fully ready to talk about with anyone. Much less Marns - who was so gone for McDavid that any mention of McJesus made Mitch smile. But at least Mitch had done something about it.

That Summer, though...that Summer Matthew decided to do something about it. And kissing Robby out of the blue was the best decision he had ever made. Because Robby was nice, and funny, and perfect, and Matthew had wanted to spend every waking moment with him since they first met. And Matthew couldn’t wait to see what his future had in store for him because he was going places. 

Then Robby was playing in St. Louis - and experiencing everything Matthew loved about the city - and he was living in Matthew’s basement (and the first thing his dad told him when he got home for Christmas was that he was not allowed in the basement and that if Robby was in his room, the door needed to be open). And he was doing so well, fitting into the Blues seamlessly. And Matthew knew some of the older guys on the team were telling him less than flattering stories about Matthew (he hoped they were telling him some about Brady, too, because Brady had quickly become Robby’s best friend).

The distance was hard, it always hit a little harder when he had the chance to see Robby after a game but only for a couple of minutes. But all he needed to tide him over was to hear Robby’s laugh, or see the smile Robby only ever sent to him, or see those eyes - bright, and shining, and so so full of affection. And he would do anything he could to protect him. Because he was born to love Robby.


End file.
